In this four-week Advent study, author Richard B. Wilke focuses on people in the story of Christ’s birth. There are those we associate with the joy and celebration of Christmas―the wise men, the shepherds, and Joseph. Yet the author reminds us not to forget that the evil King Herod is also part of the Christmas story, and how it is because there is evil in our world that we so desperately needed―and need―a Savior. Each lesson includes a key scripture, brief reflection, questions to discuss, a suggested Christmas carol, and a prayer. Table of Contents: First Week of Advent Let’s Keep Herod in Christmas (Matthew 2:1, 7-8, 16-18) Second Week of Advent Let’s Keep the Wise Men in Christmas (Matthew 2:1-12) Third Week of Advent Let’s Keep Joseph in Christmas (Matthew 1:18-25; 2:13-15, 19-23) Fourth Week of Advent Let’s Keep the Shepherds in Christmas (Luke 2:8-20) Richard B. Wilke (1930-2025) was a retired United Methodist bishop and co-author of the popular DISCIPLE Bible Study series. Bishop Wilke served the United Methodist Church for more than forty years. More recently, he served as the Bishop in Residence at Southwestern College. Bishop Wilke and his wife, Julia K. Wilke (1932-2016), established the Foundation for the Institute for Discipleship at Southwestern. Widely known as a speaker and preacher, Bishop Wilke often served as conference preacher and keynote speaker at regional and national meetings. Other books by Bishop Wilke include: And Are We Yet Alive?, Signs and Wonders, Tell Me Again, I'm Listening, Our Father, and The Pastor and Marriage Group Counseling. Christmas: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly An Advent Study for Adults By Julia Wilke Abingdon Press Copyright © 2009 The United Methodist Publishing House All right reserved. ISBN: 978-0-687-66034-6 Chapter One LET 'S KEEP HEROD IN CHRISTMAS Scripture: Read Matthew 2:1, 7-8, 16-18. Herod, the Man Who Tried to Kill Christmas Herod "the great," as he was known, was a bad man; a cruel man; an evil man. Here is some background. He was born in the deserts of Sinai, a descendant of Abraham through Esau (or Edom). The Edomites, later known as Idumaeans, had been forcibly converted to Judaism by the Maccabees, who led the revolt that freed Judea from Syrian rule, so the Idumaeans were not descended from historically Jewish families. Thus Herod and his people were known as Edomite Jews. The world was in turmoil. In Rome, Brutus and Cassius had murdered Julius Caesar. In the struggle for power, Cassius was defeated by Mark Antony, who was killed by Octavian— who later became known as Caesar Augustus, the first ruler of the newly named Roman Empire. Rome was trying to subjugate and control Greece, the Near East, and Egypt. Rome needed help governing Palestine. The Hasmoneans, a Dynasty descended from the Maccabees, were the Jewish high priests and kings who ruled Israel from 143 to 37 B.C.; but the dynasty grew weak due to infighting, and Herod's father, Antipater, who allied himself with the Roman leadership, was named ruler of Judea. Herod, a young soldier, charismatic, adept with javelin and bow, was sent to Rome to build friends among key Roman leaders. Later he was dispatched to become governor of Galilee. He proved to be a friend of Rome by brutally crushing a local Jewish rebellion. Herod became expert at playing both ends against the middle. When Herod's father was poisoned, Rome named Herod ruler of Judea. To solidify his authority, Herod married Mariamne, a beautiful Hasmonean princess whose father was the High Priest Hyrcanus. Eventually Herod had a number of wives to solidify political ties, but Mariamne was his favorite. He loved her insanely; he was passionately jealous. When she urged him to appoint her brother Aristobulus as high priest, he did so. But Herod had the popular Aristobulus, who was only seventeen, drowned within a year, and his mother blamed Herod. (The emperor Augustus is reported to have said at some point, "It is safer to be Herod's pig than to be his son.") Mariamne accused Herod of killing both her brother and her grandfather. Herod's sister, Salome, told Herod that Mariamne was sleeping with an uncle, so, according to Jewish historian Josephus, Herod ordered Mariamne's execution. Herod was brutal. He wanted absolute control. He murdered important Hasmoneans, Pharisees, and priests of the ruling body, the Sanhedrin, while installing "yes men" in their places. So by the time the wise men came to Jerusalem, it was Herod's men who served as the elders. And Herod reduced their power by continually changing high priests. Herod pacified most of the Jewish people under his rule by allowing them to worship their God in the Temple, instead of worshiping Caesar. In return, he placated Rome by demanding a huge temple tax, then sending that vast wealth to Rome. He kept the international trade routes open— incense from Yemen, olive oil from Galilee— with crushing taxes, again forwarding g